


Dance With Me!

by ANoGoodPigeon



Series: What If... [3]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Dancing, Found Family, Gen, Prince Zuko - Freeform, Slow Dancing, Team Dynamics, Team as Family, Zuko (Avatar)-centric, Zuko is not The Firelord
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-30
Updated: 2020-05-30
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:53:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24460117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ANoGoodPigeon/pseuds/ANoGoodPigeon
Summary: “You know, Your Highness, it’s only inevitable that he’s going to find you.”He frowns, making no attempt to come out of hiding. “What if I set the place on fire.”“Zuko!” She laughs, trying to keep her voice hushed and shakes her head. He feels the side of his mouth twitch.“It’d only be a small one. There are plenty of waterbenders here. I’m sure they could handle it.”“And when it becomes an international incident?”“I can be subtle.”Min raises an eyebrow and turns slightly. “This is literally a ball in celebration of the reunification of the Four Nations and you want to set it on fire because you don’t want to dance.”He looks up at her, completely straight-faced. “Yes.”
Relationships: Aang & Toph Beifong & Katara & Sokka & Suki & Zuko, Aang & Zuko (Avatar), Katara & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka & Zuko (Avatar), Suki & Zuko (Avatar), The Gaang & Zuko (Avatar), Toph Beifong & Zuko
Series: What If... [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1724050
Comments: 43
Kudos: 626





	Dance With Me!

**Author's Note:**

> Me, asleep:  
> My Brain @ 2AM: WHAT IF YOU MADE ZUKO AND AANG DANCE WITH EACH OTHER  
> Me, bolting upright: you'RE RIGHT

Zuko doesn’t know how to dance.

It’s a fact that’s made absurdly clear the longer he stands on the outskirts of the ballroom, watching with growing trepidation as more and more people grab partners and launch themselves into the rapidly growing mass of bodies.

He can feel his hands start to sweat with nervous energy and he tries to subtly wipe them on the sides of his official Fire Prince robes, looking around desperately for any excuse to step away from the activities. The fabric is a little too stiff for his comfort and he’s more than once refused somebody’s offer by claiming the outfit not suited for moving around too much. It’s an excuse he knows is losing validity every time he spots his uncle giving him a look from across the room. 

It’s a look that says, “I know what you are doing my nephew and while I respect your feelings I also have a perfectly placed anecdote that I've been practicing all night and once I catch up to you I'm not afraid to use it.”

It makes him shutter because he knows despite his protest, there is only one person in the world who could make him comfortable enough to face public humiliation like that. 

So the obvious solution is to avoid him all night. Easy. 

Of course, despite his best efforts, he knows Uncle knows what he’s doing and every time their eyes meet between bodies Zuko can feel himself flush as he uses all his training to duck back around to lose himself in the throng of multi-colored robes, dresses, and other Four Nation ceremonial outfits. 

Bo and Min, his royal guards, have been chuckling behind his back the whole night and he lets them only because he’s used them several times to throw Uncle off his tracks and the last encounter ended up with him literally grabbing Bo and using him as a human shield. Bo had sent him a fondly exasperated look before shaking his head and waving them away with parting, "go, I'll try and throw him off, _again_."

His sacrifice would be greatly remembered.

Min laughs now as Zuko grabs her and swings her around him, much like he did with her twin, and crouches in a very prince-like fashion behind all of her six-foot, wide-shouldered frame. She keeps his cover but shifts her weight to one side and places a hand on her hip. He can practically hear the grin on her face and he resists the urge to yank her long and neatly plaited braid in disgruntled retaliation but only because that would be childish and unbecoming of someone in his position. That, and if he upsets her she would most definitely move.

“You know, Your Highness, it’s only inevitable that he’s going to find you.”

He frowns, making no attempt to come out of hiding. “What if I set the place on fire.”

“ _Zuko!_ ” She laughs, trying to keep her voice hushed and shakes her head. He feels the side of his mouth twitch.

“It’d only be a small one. There are plenty of waterbenders here. I’m sure they could handle it.”

“And when it becomes an international incident?”

“I can be subtle.”

Min raises an eyebrow and turns slightly. “This is literally a ball in celebration of the reunification of the Four Nations and you want to _set it on fire_ because you don’t want to dance.”

He looks up at her, completely straight-faced. “Yes.”

She’s grinning now and turns back around. “You know, I don’t think this is what Bo and I thought we’d be dealing with when we offered our services to you guys.”

“Too exciting?” Zuko snorts as he peeks around her frame.

She tilts her head and opens her mouth before a shout interrupts them.

“Found him!”

“Ah, my apologies Your Highness,” and she glances behind her, dark eyes glinting with amusement, “but I think we’ve been compromised.”

He straightens, a little alarmed. “What--”

The earth rumbles under his feet as he’s suddenly pulled from behind her. He’s not ashamed to admit he makes a wild grab for her arm and can feel all his hope dissolve as he just misses and she throws her hands up in defeat, apparently perfectly content with not helping rescue her prince from this assault.

_ I should’ve kept Bo. _

“There you are!” He turns to the exit and a breeze ruffles his neatly arranged hair and his vision fills with vibrant hues of orange and yellow as Aang lands softly between him and his last chance at escape. He’s smiling as he touches down, seemingly proud of the small show they’re making. Zuko has to look up to him now after all his recent growth spurts and thinks, not for the first time, how much he misses having a good head and and half or so on his friend. “We’ve been looking for you  _ everywhere _ . Bo said you went this way and I saw Min wave!”

Zuko blinks and looks toward Min who just smiles politely at the pair while having the audacity to give them a little wave.

_ They’re dead to me. _

He inhales and exhales, standing up straight to assume a more dignified stance. “Aang. Did we not agree to ease up on the bending during these sort of events?”   
  
“Ah, come on, Zuko.” Aang flaps a dismissive hand. “I’m not doing anything bad!”   
  
“Yeah Sparky,” Toph walks up from behind them, making a point to create a small tremor as she approaches, arms laden with almost every food in the buffet. “What’s a little bending gonna harm!”

Zuko turns to her, unimpressed. A hand lands on his shoulder and it speaks of the familiarity of the gesture that he doesn’t immediately turn to light the person on fire as he hears Sokka declare,“Yeah buddy, you gotta relaaax.”

He stresses the last word and Zuko immediately regrets not attacking him.

“You did outdo yourself with everything,” He turns to see Katara walking up, sweaty from the dance floor. She smirks as he makes a face at her.

“Who knew the Fire Nation knew how to throw a party like this!” Toph laughs and Zuko feels himself frown.

“You don’t think we overdid anything. The food is good, right? Is the band okay, they’re not from here. Is it too hot? There hasn’t been any significant hostility, has there? We were worried about the Earth convoy given their reaction to the no-armor rule--"

“--Everything is fine, Zuko.” Suki joins them, just as sweaty as Katara and Zuko almost gags at how immediately Sokka turns and wraps his arms around her, a look that’s absolutely smitten on his face. She returns his embrace and looks at Zuko. “You guys are wonderful hosts. I’m sure the other Nation dignitaries will approve of all the hard work you’ve put into this.”

He nods and turns back to Aang who grabs his arm and tugs. “See, nothing to worry about so why not come dance with us!”

“Ah, I can’t.” He tries to tug his arm back. “I have a lot of important things to see to.”   


“Oh sure,” Toph scoffs as she shoves a roll in her mouth, talking through it with no shame, “lot of important stuff like running from the old man and using your guards as decoys right?”

She smirks as he stumbles through a response. “That’s not--how did--that’s  _ not _ what I’ve been doing and I actually do have other business to take care of so if you’ll excuse me--”

“--oooh, no!” Katara strides forward and takes his other arm. “No more running Zuko. I’m sure your dancing is fine, and regardless no one is going to make fun of you. I promise.”

It’s amazing how much she can make something so simple sound like a threat but he shouldn’t be surprised when he can feel the ungodly amount of strength she has as she pulls him along with Aang. He digs his heels in, a little more frantic.

“Listen, guys. It’s not that, I just, what if I don’t  _ want _ to.”

They stop, turning toward him with calm but concerned expressions. Katara eases her grip. “Then of course we’re not going to force you but it really is a celebration. We just want you to be able to enjoy it.”

“Yeah,” Aang adjusts his grip so he’s grabbing Zuko’s hand instead and squeezes a little bit. “I’ll leave you alone if you really mean you don’t want to but if you don’t because of some other reason, you know you have us to help.”

Zuko glances at their hands, then both of their faces, and sighs. He feels guilty for rebuffing their good intentions and feels his resolve waver. 

“I just...I don’t know how to.” He mumbles it to the ground. They’re silent for a few moments and he chances a glance up to see them both looking at him with matching expressions of confusion.

Katara opens her mouth and looks like she’s trying to think of a way to say what she wants to, delicately. “Um, you don’t know how to dance?”

He crosses his arms, feeling a little defensive as his face heats up slightly. “I know  _ how _ to dance but not like  _ this.”  _

He gestures to everyone around them as they all move in chaotic dips and swirls, mostly lacking any coordination. There’s a noticeable lack of red and gold.

“We don’t,” He scrunches his nose in frustration as he tries to find the words. He ends up looking back down at their feet. “The War took a lot from my people.”

It’s almost like a lightbulb goes off at the same time for Aang and Katara as they realize what he’s trying to say. Aang sees flashbacks of a cave and a rowdy bunch of kids who didn’t know how to dance either. He looks at Katara and she nods, taking a step back as Aang pulls Zuko with him. Zuko makes a noise, caught off guard, but lets it happen and then they’re in the middle of the dance floor. Music from the band picks up in pace and Zuko hunches in on himself as the people around them start to get into it.

Aang just starts twirling, moving in a way that is bizarre and oddly graceful. Zuko doesn’t know what to do so he ends up just standing stiffly as Aang circles him. Aang whirls his arms, bending backwards, and grins at him upside down.

“Just start moving! There’s no wrong way to do it!” 

Zuko feels like there’s _absolutely_ a wrong way to do it as he watches Aang fling himself around in a rhythm that doesn’t at all match the tempo. He hears somebody whoop and he turns to find their friends joining them, bodies swaying and moving in a way that gives Aang a run for his money.

Sokka looks like he’s strutting down some sort of runway, coordinating it so that every pose he pauses on highlights Suki as she throws her hands up and moves in what is probably the most coordinated way out of all of them. If he watches closely, he can see her hands flex as if she’s imagining holding fans in each. Katara sways to and fro while laughing at her brother’s antics, serene and peaceful like waves on a beach. It would be very tranquil, Zuko supposes, if she wasn't surrounded by at least several other people who looked like they were about to start a fight with how aggressive their movement was. Even Toph has joined them although he’s not sure if he could technically call what she’s doing dancing as she basically just jumps around and flails her arms to the beat. 

And he just stands there, in the middle of them, wondering for the hundredth time what he did wrong to end up here. He glances through the crowd and meets his Uncle’s eyes. He’s smiling at him, encouraging, as he waves. Bo and Min stand behind him, each giving him a thumbs up in support.

It says a lot about his life that he catches himself unconsciously offering them one back in return and he quickly turns back, frowning.

“I don’t know Aang.”

“You just gotta move your feet! Here, want some help?” Before he can protest, Aang swoops in and grabs his one hand and moves another to his waist as he twirls them around. 

“See!” Aang smiles as he slowly rocks them side to side, seemingly uncaring that this is very much not a walt-zing kind of song. But Zuko is familiar with the movement and he sends one last prayer to Agni, glancing up at the ceiling, before he gives in and tries to keep himself steady as Aang takes the lead.

His friends cheer, still caught up in their own dancing, and bit by bit he can feel himself relax as he watches his feet and stumbles through every turn that Aang spins them into. The crowd sends them a few looks but no one seems willing to bother them. It probably helps that while they are the Avatar and Fire Prince, no one wants to mess with the small guard of teenagers standing around them. It reminds him of the fierce protectiveness in Katara’s voice earlier, and he feels himself clutching Aang’s hand a little tighter.

“You really did do a good job with all this.” Aang interrupts Zuko’s thoughts. “I don’t know why you're worrying so much.”

Zuko frowns and doesn’t look up. “I meant it when I said the War took a lot from us.”

Aang watches him and nods. “I believe you.”

“And I wasn’t kidding when I said I’ve never done  _ this _ before. Father never really condoned events like these.” He glances around. “When we took back the Nation, in the weeks and months after, there was so much change--Aang.” 

He looks back and Aang watches him, solemn but attentive. “Stuff came back that I’ve never experienced in my  _ life _ .”

He shakes his head and glances down as he trips when they change direction. He feels Aang immediately catch him, keeping a firm hold on him as they move. He huffs. “You should’ve heard the songs they played when they realized they could again. That’s the first time I heard music like that before. I didn’t even  _ know  _ it could sound like that. It was all so….new.”

They move in silence as the song changes and a much more mellow one takes its place. Aang doesn’t say anything and Zuko avoids his eyes at all costs. They sway for a few moments and Zuko feels his pulse start to pick up. 

_ Should I have said that? Was it weird? Agni, maybe I SHOULD’VE just set everything on fire. _

“I think,” Aang tilts his head and smiles when Zuko finally looks at him, “that we should be celebrating that as well.”

Zuko blinks at him. “Huh?”

Aang’s eyes crinkle, amused. “It’s not everyday you get to experience something like this for the first time.”

He makes a point to look at the crowd of fire nation attendees milling around the edges of the room and raises both of his eyebrows when Zuko looks at him in confusion. He leans forward a little, like he's about to tell him a secret.

“I think they’re scared too.”

Zuko stops moving and Aang lets them. His eyes widen and he tentatively follows Aang’s gaze.  He had spent all of his night making sure everyone _else_ was comfortable he had almost forgotten why he was here in the first place. As he looks around, it slowly dawns on him that this wasn’t just new to him, this was new to all of them. 

“Oh.” He says it softly and feels Aang squeeze his hand again. 

“Maybe they need someone to show them?”

Zuko looks at their hands. It takes him a few seconds for the words to sink in. Slowly, he nods and says in a voice just above a whisper. “Okay.”

Aang grins and suddenly the band abruptly stops playing. Toph lifts a fist from where she’s taken center stage and shouts. “Let’s crank the tempo UP!”

The musicians take a moment as they process the interruption but the conductor seems delighted and swiftly taps on his music stand. The room explodes into vibrantly loud music and a cheer goes up from the crowd. 

Zuko feels the presence of the rest of his friends as they move back around them, each almost immediately switching their forms into a mimicry of their respective fighting styles. It seems natural and smooth as they try to match the beat.

“What do you say, Zuko?” 

Zuko turns to Aang who smiles and holds out a hand.

“Dance with me!”

He pauses, just for a second, and feels the weight of nervous yet hopeful stares. Ironically enough, while he may not know how to dance he does know how to fight.

_ He did say there’s no wrong way to do it. _

He takes a breath and reaches out. As they go through the practiced yet easy forms of something familiar but different, Zuko can’t help but notice the new shades of color that have gathered around them. He grins as a wonderfully new kind of energy fills him and he starts to move with more confidence, doing things on his own without Aang’s guidance. 

His friends follow his lead as they continue to dance. He spots Bo and Min in the distance as they move with unrestrained joy, twirling each other and laughing as their long dark braids whip around them. Even Uncle has entered the fray, doing something that should make Zuko embarrassed but makes him laugh instead.

The crowd slowly grows bigger as the music keeps playing. 

He doesn’t stop dancing.  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Zuko: I need a place to hide  
> Bo & Min: [exist]  
> Zuko: it's free real estate


End file.
